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Part 1 (Volume 2 2000):  Maria is getting ready to serve at the big welcome dinner for the Japanese samurai when her cat, Toto, steals her mother's necklace, which she was going to wear,  and jumps out a window.  Chasing him, Maria follows him into a crowd who is watching the procession of the Japanese nobles, and accidentally falls into their path.  She is caught by Kojirou, and at first it seems she might be in trouble, but Fuana saves her.  Maria talks to Fuana and misses her chance to thank Kojirou.  Antonio has found Toto and puts her necklace on, watched by Fuana.  Fuana also invited Antonio to the dinner, but he refused.  
     At the dinner, a priest translates for the samurai's speech of thanks.  Maria is serving, and calls attention to herself by exclaiming when a samurai bows in front of her, startling her.  The Spanish guests are amazed when the samurai all use chopsticks to eat.  Maria, serving something onto the table, is fascinated by the samurais' hairstyle, and while staring at it, bumps something on the table.  Kojirou stands up with his hand on his sword hilt, and Maria doesn't know what she did wrong.  The head samurai tells him it's alright, and Kojirou bows to her in apology, surprising her again.  The priest explains that he is the head of the guards, so was alarmed by her action.  Maria continues serving, but Kojirou watches her the whole time, and she wonders why he seems to dislike her so much.  
     At her house, Antonio is called by her father, asking where Martin is.  Antonio doesn't know, but remembers him being interested in going to Fuana's castle and thinks he might have gone there, which he did.  Martin is wandering around alone, getting very frightened and lost.  
     Maria is talking to Fuana after the dinner, apologizing for her mistakes, but Fuana says it's alright, she didn't understand their guests very well either.  They see Maria's father and Antonio at the gate, trying to get in to look for Martin, and Fuana orders the guard to let them in.  Antonio says it's Maria's fault for associating with the noblety and getting Martin interested in it. 
    Martin is still walking around crying when he bumps into someone... 
    The group is all looking around outside for Martin, and Maria says she'll go back inside in case he's there.  She's worried that he is very scared when she spots him sleeping, held by Kojirou.  She's so relieved she runs up and Kojirou says something she doesn't understand; Martin wakes up and goes into her arms.  They're both crying in relief, and Kojirou begins to leave when Maria stops him and thanks him.  This is when she finds out his name, and thanking him again, she gives him a kiss on the cheek that totally astonishes him.  He says something else in Japanese, and Maria leaves with Martin, saying she'll come back tomorrow to thank him again.  
    Back at her house, Antonio is sulking because he saw her kiss Kojirou.  He says he deserves a kiss of thanks as well because he was looking for Martin, but when Maria says fine Antonio kisses her on the lips instead of the cheek.  Maria is upset and runs out of the room, and Antonio is happy that she didn't hit him like usual.  Upstairs, Maria opens the window and dumps a bucket of water on Antonio's head, saying it was her first kiss and she doesn't want to be friends anymore.  Her yelling woke up Martin, who tells Maria that Kojirou is a magician.  Maria asks why, and Martin shows her a paper crane that Kojirou made and gave to him.  
    At the castle, Kojirou is summoned by Tsunegawa outside.  Tsunegawa looks up at the moon and says it's not the same moon as in Japan.  Kojirou says it looks the same to him, and pulling out his sword, Tsunegawa says it's not the same, because it's the last that Kojirou will ever see.  He stabs Kojirou in the stomach, and then I think pushes him over the castle wall.  
 
  
Part 2 (Margaret 3-4 2000): The next day, Maria looks forward to seeing Kojirou again, as the Japanese delegation is leaving for Madrid, but she can't find him during the parade.  She asks Fuana about it, but Fuana doesn't recognize him so she can't help.  Fuana asks Maria to come to the 'secret place' the next day, as she has something important to say. 
  The next day, Maria and her father are picking grapes, and Maria mentions that she had hoped to give a bunch of them to Kojirou in thanks for his helping Martin.  She tells her father that she has to meet a friend and will be back soon, and he agrees.  Martin follows her, and asks to come too(he heard Fuana invite Maria) and Maria agrees, cautioning him not to tell anyone.  She explains how she and Antonio used to play there as children, and one day they met Fuana there, coming out from the castle.  From then on, they often played all together. 
  Her thoughts are interrupted by Martin, who points to something in the bushes.  It's Kojirou, unconscious and badly hurt from his stab wound and the fall from the castle wall.  When Fuana comes out, she finds Maria examining him, and fetches someone from the castle to help. 
    Fuana's father doesn't know what to do, and tries to say he's going to move him to a monastery, but Maria won't let him.  He declares that it doesn't matter, he'll die soon anyways, but Maria says she won't let him die, and decides to nurse him at her home. 
   Meanwhile, Antonio has caught a cold because of the soaking he got from Maria, and Maria hasn't come to see him even once.  On the fourth day, when he's finally better, he storms into Maria's house to demand why, and finds her sitting beside Kojirou's bed.  Antonio remembers her kissing Kojirou, and gets angry, saying he can't believe that she's been tending this guy while he lay sick in bed.  Maria slaps him, and tells him of Kojirou's wounds, adding that it looks like he was pushed off the castle wall and hasn't once regained consciousness.  Antonio pauses and then leaves for a moment.  Maria doesn't know why he left, and Martin asks her if Kojirou will die.  Maria says all they can do now is pray, and recalls when her mother died years before, her father telling her the same thing.  She hopes that this time her prayers will be answered.  Antonio comes back with some medicine, recommending that Maria feed it to Kojirou and saying it helped his cold.  He says that he'll help her father with the grape-picking, so she can safely tend Kojirou.  Maria thanks him, and says they can be friends again. 
    When Antonio is gone, Maria tries to feed some of the medicine to Kojirou, but it won't go in.  To feed it to him, Maria puts it in her mouth and uses mouth-to-mouth.  She feels Kojirou's head move, and is astonished to see tears running from Kojirou's still-closed eyes. 
 
 Part 3 (Margaret 5 2000): 
In Kojirou's dream memories, we see a mature samurai with his right eye covered by an eyepatch, holding two identical boys, around 4 or 5 maybe.  They're looking at the ocean, and the samurai(their father) tells them that on the other side of it there are lots of different countries and people.  One of the boys says he can't see them, and the samurai replies that you have to ride a boat to see them.  Ryuukikumaru, the left boy, says he wants to ride a boat, and Torakikumaru, the right boy, says he wants to ride it, and Ryuukikumaru can't.  Before they start squabbling, the samurai stops them, and says when they grow up, he'll let them sail on a boat. 
    The next memory is of his father going off to war, telling them to grow up and surpass him, Masamune.  Then, in a void, a voice announces that since birth, they were as one-the same face, the same voice, living the same life.  But from this day, they are different.  His brother, Torakikumaru, has performed 'gempuku', the ceremony of attaining manhood, and has taken the name Tadamune.  He asks what Ryuukikumaru's new name is.  He responds, Kojirou.  Tadamune comments how offensive or unlucky the name is, and Kojirou reddens in embarrassment.  He hears his name over and over, Kojirou, Kojirou... 
     His eyes open, and he sees Maria bending over his bed.  She is overjoyed to see him awake, but is startled when he jumps out of bed, runs over to where his katana is against the wall, and draws on her!  He shouts something she understand, and she repeats her name several times, hoping he'll recognize her.  He finally seems to, and says her name slowly.  He suddenly feels his injuries, and stumbles back to bed, refusing Maria's help.  She is hurt, and wonders if he's just being careful now because he was hurt so badly by someone.  She wonders who and why.  Martin comes in crying because his paper crane is ripped and bent, and before Maria can stop him, he goes into Kojirou's room.  Kojirou smiles and patiently makes another one for him, and Maria watches, thinking that she will be patient, and pray for Kojirou's mental and physical injuries to heal... 
     Some days later, Kojirou is sitting up in bed and learning Spanish slowly.  He knows Maria's, Martin's, and Toto's names, as well as the word for grapes and eat.  Martin wants Kojirou to stay with them forever, but at the meal table, without Kojirou, Maria's father says once his wounds are healed, Kojirou should leave.  Antonio asks where, and when Maria's father says they can leave it to Lord Ryoushuu(Fuana's father) Maria protests, saying they won't help Kojirou.  Antonio suggests putting him on the boat to Mexico, from where he might be able to get a boat back to Japan.  Maria thinks that's terrible, as Kojirou can only speak a few words of Spanish.  She storms into Kojirou's room, but he's not there!  She runs outside and looks for him throughout the village, and finally finds him looking out at the sea.  He points to it and says something about Japan, and Maria asks if he wants to return.  He says "Sea...together...".  Maria spots a boat on the water and points it out, and Kojirou stares at it and says "Budou".  Maria says no, it's a boat(budou are grapes), but Kojirou is smelling her.  She blushes because he's so close, and says she picked grapes that day.  Kojirou says "Eat"and Maria realizes that he's hungry.  She gets up and Kojirou has trouble, so she offers her hand.  He takes it, and stands, but has trouble and falls against Maria.  She thinks in panic that Kojirou can feel her fast heartbeat... 

Part 4 (Margaret 6 2000):  Antonio finds Maria supporting Kojirou, and looking angry, pulls him away.  Walking towards the docks, he asks Kojirou if he wants to go back to return to Japan, and Kojirou says "Japan...want to return...".  They arrive at the dock and Antonio brings him to a ship leaving soon.  He asks them to take Kojirou on as a passenger but one of the sailors says they don't take them.  The captain, a good-looking blond man named Luis with an eyepatch, come up and tells them to pay them 10000 ducas to take Kojirou.  Apparently it's a lot of money, and when Antonio tells Maria's father later that night, he says he definitely can't put forth that kind of money.  Maria and Martin are happy that Kojirou is staying, but Antonio tells Maria to think of a way to get Kojirou back to Japan, and Maria feels defensive because of the embrace that Antonio saw before.  In bed once again, Kojirou is having disturbing dreams of his brother and when he was stabbed, and realizes that probably his brother was the one directing the man to kill him. 
    The next day, Maria is picking grapes, and wondering why Kojirou wants to go back to Japan.  She wonders if he has a loved one there, but then stops herself.  Antonio suddenly appears with flowers, saying they're for an anniversary present.  Maria asks which anniversary, and Antonio responds with "the day I proposed marriage to you".  He tells Maria that he's always loved her, and leans down to kiss her, but she slaps him, telling him to stop.  Antonio gets mad and demands to know if she likes Kojirou.  Maria begins to deny this when Martin runs up, yelling that Kojirou got out of bed again and went toward the docks.  They run there and find Kojirou on his hands and knees asking them to bring him to Japan.  The sailor from the day before asks them to bring him home, but before they can move, Kojirou stands up.  Maria notices his hand on his sword handle and suddenly Kojirou grabs her and holds his sword to her throat.  The others look on stunned, and Kojirou demands to be let on the boat.  He states with determination that he will get back to Japan... 

Part 5 (Margaret 7 2000): 
A short summary this time.  Kojirou gets on the boat with Maria as captive, and Antonio also comes along.  They set out.  Kojirou sits at the prow of the boat (he's in the front and sitting on a raised part, is that the prow?)with Maria held in front of him.  Maria is really upset that he betrayed her kindness, and he apologizes in good Spanish(Japanese, but you know^_^)  He actually learned Spanish on the trip to Spain.  Maria is even more hurt that he kept this from her.  He stays awake for four days with no food, but Maria says she won't eat until he tells her why he has to go back to Japan.  He tells her that he has to revenge himself on his brother, who ordered Hasekura(the captain of the  delegation) to get rid of him.  He tells Maria that his brother wants to have a clear field for taking over his father's place, and even his father is on his brother's side.  Maria thinks of her family, and thinks that she still can't forgive Kojirou.  
     On the fourth night, Kojirou finally falls asleep, and the ship's crew sneak up on him.  He awakes as they're charging and gets ready to fight, when an explosion is heard.  It's pirates!  A battle begins, and Kojirou tells Maria to get to the front of the boat.  He goes back and fights, saving Antonio from being stabbed and then finishing off the last few pirates.  The captain, Luis, aims his pistol at him, admires his skill, and thanks him for helping to save his boat.  Kojirou has nowhere to run. 

Part 6 (Margaret 8 2000): 
  Luis is going to shoot Kojirou despite Maria's protests, but one of his sailors shows him a bag of gold nuggets that Kojirou had in his pockets.  Kojirou says if he brings him to Japan, he'll give him much more gold, but Luis responds that he's not so easy to fool, and gets ready to shoot again, but Kojirou tells him that his father is the Lord of North Japan, Masamune, and Luis recognizes the name.  He says that Kojirou does resemble him, and decides to let him stay on. 
     A short time later, Antonio comes and punches Kojirou so hard he falls on the deck.  He says that for what he did, he deserves about a hundred more, but since he saved Antonio's life, he'll get off with just one.  Kojirou doesn't say anything. 
    Days go by, and Maria and Antonio also have to work to pay for their passage on the boat.  They have to stay on until Mexico, where they can probably find a boat heading back to Spain.  Maria reflects that life on the boat is hard but there are lots of interesting and fun things that she's never experienced before, and wishes she could let her family know that she's ok.  She looks out and thinks that all there is to see is the ocean everywhere, when she thinks of the crow's nest.  She's wanted to see what it was like up there anyways, so she starts climbing the rigging.  Almost all the way to the crow's nest, she makes the mistake of looking down and freezes, unable to move.  A face appears over the edge above her, and Kojirou pulls her the rest of the way up.  Together they look out at the sea, and Maria says that like the sea, her impressions of Kojirou kept changing, but now she realiezes that Kojirou is a good person after all.  Kojirou asks doubtingly what about him is good, when he deceived her and used her as a hostage, but Maria disagrees, saying now she has a chance to see this wonderful view, so it's  alright.  Kojirou blushes, and Maria says that she just enjoys the moment.  Kojirou swears that once he's done in Japan, he'll return to Spain, and shows Maria how to pinky swear to seal it.  Then they spot land.  It's Mexico! 
    When they dock, they find out that there's a boat leaving for Spain the very next morning, so they have to rest as much as possible.  Maria is somewhat dismayed.  Antonio is sharing a room with Kojirou, and he says that he doesn't like it, but he's just happy to be in a bed again.  Kojirou apologizes again, and Antonio tells him that when they get back to Spain, he and Maria are going to marry, surprising Kojirou. 
    Late that night, Antonio is sleeping while Kojirou sits on his bed making paper cranes when Maria knocks on the door.  She says she can't sleep, but refuses when Kojirou offers to wake Antonio.  He gives her the origami stuff he's made, saying he'd like her to give them to Martin when she gets back.  Maria asks him to teach her how to make them, and Kojirou agrees.  
   Back in Maria's room, she comments how hard it is, especially the little bird one.  Kojirou tells her it's a beautiful Japanese bird, called a tsuru (crane).  Maria says she wishes she could see one in real life, and wishes she could see Kojirou's home country.  Kojirou says he'd like to show her.  Kojirou gets closer to show Maria how to make the crane, and they accidentally bump heads.  They both blush, and Kojirou declares that he should go back to his own room, it's a bad idea for him to be in a single lady's room.  Maria asks him to wait, she wants to be with him more, she doesn't want to separate from him.  Kojirou says she's going to be married to Antonio, but Maria denies it, saying the one she loves is Kojirou!  She puts her head down, saying it's the first time she's ever loved someone and she doesn't know what to do.  Kojirou pulls her to him and tells her he loves her too.  They kiss... 
 To be continued...